Chapter #2: Battle of Mombasa

Three Pelicans rocket away from the In Amber Clad, jet engines thundering, and spear out towards New Mombasa. The Solemn Penance hovers high over the city, its gravity lift engaged.

Cortana (COM): The message just repeats. Regret, Regret, Regret.

The Master Chief alongside blue team: (Tucker-180, Sarge-130 and Caboose-011) worshiping next to ODSTs and Marines while he watches from the stern of a Pelican as the clouds roll by below.

Commander Keyes (COM): Catchy. Any idea what it means?

A convoy of Warthogs are seen as the Pelicans pass over them.

Sergeant Johnson (COM): Dear Humanity...we regret being alien bastards. We regret coming to Earth.

Inside the cockpit of the Pelican, Johnson leans against the bulkhead behind the two pilots.

Sergeant Johnson: And we most definitely regret that the Corps just blew up our raggedy-ass fleet!

Pilots: (in unison) Oo-rah!

Cortana (COM): Regret is a name, Sergeant. The name of one of the Covenant's religious leaders. A Prophet. He's on that carrier, and he's calling for help.

A Marine sniper-spotter team lies prone on a rooftop, and the Pelicans fly over their position.

Marine (COM): Immediate: Grid kilo two-three is hot. Recommend mission abort.

Pilot (COM): Roger, recon. (to Johnson) It's your call, Sarge.

the Pelican's troop bay. A Marine loads rounds into his Battle Rifle and cocks the gun, and a sharpshooter examines a magazine before slotting it into his Sniper Rifle. A third Marine puts on a helmet, tapping it to make sure it's tight. blue team: (Tucket-180, Sarge-130 and Caboose-011) checking your weapons to make sure that they're ready for combat, Master Chief stands silently, gazing at the streets below.

Lord Hood (COM): Master Chief, get aboard that carrier, and secure the Prophet of Regret. This is the only place on Earth the Covenant decided to land. That Prophet is going to tell us why.

Pilot: Thirty seconds out. Stand by to...whoa.

The pilot goes silent as a huge Protos-pattern Scarab lumbers into view. Its leg spears a truck, destroying it instantly. Its main gun then focuses and fires, destroying the lead Pelican. The two other Pelicans veer off, as a plasma turret on the Scarab's back track them. The leftward dropship, with Johnson, the Chief and blue team: (Tucket-180, Sarge-130 and Caboose-011) on board, catches a burst of plasma on its right flank, flips inverted, hits a building, and slides through a low brick wall, before blacking out the frame.

The Master Chief and blue team: (Tucker-180, Sarge-130 and Caboose-011) regains consciousness.

Cortana: You all right, Chief?

Tucker-180: Yeah three of us are right..

Sarge-130: damn now that's one hell of a way to make an entrance!?

Tucker-180: as it not actually getting blasted away by that monstrosity on four legs you old bastard!!

Sergeant Johnson: Shake it off, Marines. Clear the crash site! Go, go, go!

A single Unggoy Minor walks up the alley towards the crashed Pelican. Upon seeing the UNSC force it tries to flee but is quickly killed. The Chief and the rest of the team arrive at a bombed-out building occupied by the Covenant. An enemy Phantom flies overhead.

Marine: Secure this area! Dig in fella's! For now, this is home.

Marine: Hoo-rah!

Covenant Sangheili, Kig-Yar and Unggoy appear in the area, and upon sighting the team they open fire.

Sergeant Johnson: If they didn't know we're here before, they do now.

A few Covenant troops including Kig-Yar Snipers appear on the rooftops.

Sergeant Johnson: Yep, here they come! Up high!

Sergeant Johnson: I don't wanna kill ya, you're just too ugly to let live!

After the first wave of Covenant forces are killed:

Sergeant Johnson: More on the street, left side!

After the second wave of Covenant are killed, another lance of Kig-yar led by a Sangheili Minor appear through the path the Chief came in.

Sergeant Johnson: We got Jackals in the courtyard!

Later, a group of Yanme'e flies into the courtyard.

Sergeant Johnson: Buggers, headin' over the rooftops!

Another wave of Covenant attacks.

Sergeant Johnson: Across the street! Down low!

Later, the sound of a Phantom's engines drifts over the rooftop.

Sergeant Johnson (COM): Eyes up! Phantom's back!

The Phantom drops off another wave of Covenant (which includes a Sangheili Zealot on legendary difficulty). After the UNSC forces deal with them, a Pelican arrives, hovering over the courtyard.

Pilot (COM): My girl's a little big for that courtyard, Sergeant. I see a good LZ on the other side of these buildings. Meet you there, over.

Sergeant Johnson: Copy that. Someone get a satchel on the gate!

Before anyone can reach for a satchel, the gates begin to shake, raising dust. A few seconds later, they break, and a pair of Mgalekgolo arrive.

Cortana: Hunters!

Sergeant Johnson (COM): Stand back, Marines. Let the Chief show you how it's done!

Once the Mgalekgolo are eliminated:

Sergeant Johnson: Nice work, Chief! Let's move out!

The Master Chief and blue team: (Tucket-180, Sarge-130, and Caboose-011) make their way through the streets of New Mombasa.

Marine: The only thing worse than Jackals...Jackals with sniper rifles!

When the team reaches the far courtyard, the Pelican drops off Marines.

Commander Keyes (COM): Sergeant, I need you on that bird.

Sergeant Johnson (COM): Ma'am?

Commander Keyes (COM): My Pelicans are going to start airlifting armor and reinforcements into the city. They'll need an escort that isn't afraid of a little hostile ground fire.

Sergeant Johnson (COM): Understood. I'll keep an eye on 'em. Chief ... good luck.

Sergeant Johnson climbs aboard the Pelican and dusts off.

Once the Chief and the marines reach the Second squad's position.

GSGT Stacker: Chief! Glad you could make it. Crash site's on the other side of this hotel, Chief. Covenant are crawling all over it. Follow me.

As the Sergeant and the Chief moves into the darkened hotel...

Sergeant Stacker: Stay outta sight.

Grunts and Elites come through the dark corridors. Stacker and some Marines fire on them. Emerging from the Hotel, they spot a Phantom dropping off several Grunts. A couple of marines pull up in a Warthog, honking the horn for the Chief.

Marine: Special delivery from Commander Keyes, Chief.

Cortana (COM): The highest concentration of Covenant troops is directly below the carrier. I don't think they want you to get on board.

Cortana (COM): That bridge is the most direct route to the city center.

The Chief and blue team: (Tucket-180, Sarge-130, and Caboose-011) look at each other.

Sarge-130: Well boys let's go show these bastards what happens when you mess with Earth.

Tucker-180: You know what? I'm with you on that, let's do this!

Marine: Oh man, I love the beach...

Chips Dubbo: I hope you packed a suit, mate!

Tucker-180: Sorry pal, but right now we don't have time for the beach to get any chicks.

Sarge-130: Right now we have to deal with the covenant, so trying to get your head out of the gutter.

the Chief navigates the beaches.

Commander Keyes (COM): Chief, the carrier just launched a wave of pods. They're inbound on your position!

Covenant Orbital Insertion Pods slam down on the beach all around the Chief and blue team: (Tucker-180, Sarge-130, and Caboose-011), and armed Elites spring out of them. The Chief and blue team: (Tucker-180, Sarge-130, and Caboose-011) fights through them, more Jackal snipers in Deployable Lookout Towers, Elites riding Ghosts, and a Phantom giving cover fire for them. Eventually, he and what Marine forces left with him arrive at a large highway tunnel with an unmanned Ghost nearby.

Cortana: This tunnel leads up to the bridge. It's full of rats, if you know what I mean... But it sure beats swimming.

The Chief proceeds to move into the highway tunnel.

Cortana: I've been analyzing the Covenant tactical chatter. They're surprised, confused... I don't think they expected us to be here. Not you and me...all of us...humanity, on Earth. Odd, I know, but it does help explain why they came here in such small numbers.

Throughout the tunnel the Chief and his team alongside blue team: (Tucker-180, Sarge-130, and Caboose-011) encounter many Covenant positions consisting of Ghosts, Plasma Turrets, Shades, Drones, and even a few Battlefield methane tanks.

When the Chief and blue team: (Tucker-180, Sarge-130, and Caboose-011) comes across a group of Shadows in the inner tunnels.

Sergeant Johnson (COM): Chief, we're over the bridge. What's your status?

The Chief and blue team: (Tucket-180, Sarge-130, and Caboose-011) engage in a fierce firefight with the Shadows, destroying them with a combination of grenades and well-placed shots.

Tucker-180: We're making progress, but we've got a lot more of them to go through.

Sarge-130: Yeah, but we're getting closer to the bridge.

the Chief comes across a group of Shadows in the inner tunnels.

Cortana: The Covenant must be trying to regroup. Don't let them.

The Chief and blue team: (Tucker-180, Sarge-130, and Caboose-011) destroys the Shadows and speeds through another Covenant defensive position whilst evading enemy fire and the rampaging Scarab outside the tunnel firing on the inside with assistance from Phantoms, and finally approaches the exit of the tunnel.